Does anyone have experience with this in the entertainment industry? How would you advise an independent contractor who is doing production coordinator and choreography work in whether or not to sign an NDA for a small media company? How have you or your friends been advised by your agents, managers, lawyers? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

What is there in the agreement that makes you nervous about signing it? NDAs are usually pretty typically and just ask you not to disclose proprietary information you may learn, etc.

dopplegang
02/09/2013 2:21pm

I'm more concerned about the idea that if I could go on to do or produce similar work for myself, or if I make money in the future doing anything remotely similar, that they may twist the NDA to try to come after me / sue me. Sounds illogical, maybe, but we're in a business where a couple small changes can change the entire game, you know? I am concerned about the way that NDAs try to have power over the signer, and the legal repercussions of that. I'm not worried that I'm going to do something immoral - I'm more worried that I'm giving them undue power over me.

tinydancer1234
02/09/2013 3:55pm

I've signed them before for production work. Obviously read it carefully, know the company, and don't be afraid to ask questions or get a second party to read it. In my case, it was more to protect the company so then I couldn't go on and say I never worked for them and then declare unemployment. Even if for some reason they DO "go after you" and twist your work to claim it's a replica of theirs, they would have to have a LOT of evidence to back that claim. Not as easy as that to sue someone for copyright infringement.